that are most neglected. It is this which brings down Eloquence to the Senfe and Capacity of the Vulgar, by exterior Management and Addrefs; and which has the Art of deceiving by Appearances, when it cannot move by real Effects. If the Virtue of this be fo great as to make an Impreffion upon Mens Minds, in the fictitious and fabulous Subjects of the Stage, what must it make when applied to the trueft Subjects, and the jufteft Occafions? And yet this noble Benefit is grown almost useless to those who speak in Publick, by reason of the little Care they take to attain, or improve it. Indeed, it seems chiefly to confift in a natu ral Ability; yet in cafe this be wanting, the Defect may be fupplied by Application, and fuch an Application as depends rather upon Exercife than upon Art. The Eloquence of Demofthenes was rendred admirable by his Pronunciation; tho' he had no Talent of Nature in this Refpect, and ow'd all his Succefs to the Constraint that he put upon himself. But because Men are commonly uneafie under fuch Conftraints, and cannot bring themfelves to fupport the neceflary Fatigue of fo laborious an Exercife, they lofe the mighty Advantage which Elocution gives an Orator, by thofe paffionate Expreffions, and that living Language, which it infpires into his Eyes, his Countenance, and all his Mien and Behaviour, to make it felf the better understood. Tis impoffible to fay how much this contributes to the animating of a Difcourfe. Nor is there any greater Obftacle to the common Effect and Power of Eloquence, than the neglect of this outward Deportment, in which every Failure is fo much the more fenfible, as the Delight which Men feek from Eloquence is more.

nice and delicate For this being an Art, whofe Business and Profeffion is to please, no-thing can be more opposite to it, than what is harfh or disagreeable in Action. Among the Authors who have written on this Part, none. has fo fully evinced its great Importance, as Quintilian in the third Chapter of his eleventh Book, which feems the brightest Place in allhis Inftitutions, and which alone is fufficient to, fhew the Use and Neceffity of Pronunciation to an Orator.

XI.

Men that follow the Profeffion of fpeaking Pofitum fit in Publick, are not careful enough as to the imprimis, Ufe of Logick, either out of pure Negligence, fine Philoin not learning its Rules; or thro' a natural fophia non Incapacity to put them in Practice; or laftly, quem quaRoffe effici by an evil Affectation of giving themfelves no rimus elomanner of trouble in this Affair. Tho' Lo- quentem. gick may indeed feem deficient, as to Dif. Cic.Orat. courfes of pure Ceremony, in which neither the Interefts of State, nor thofe of Religion' are concern'd; and which feldom rife to a higher Subject, than Fashion and Drefs; yet: is it the great Rule of Converfation, the univerfal Inftrument of rational Speech. To difcourse without this Inftrument, is properly but to beat the Air, or to make a Sound without Senfe: Nothing judicious, nor even tolerable can be utter'd, where its Affiftance is wanting. And yet how many are there, that wholly decline, or abandon this Study? And how many Abufes and Extravagances are put upon by thofe who would feem to practise it? either, by too ftreight and fcholaftick a Method; or by confus'd and embaraffing Terms; or by the Notion

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it

Notion they have entertain'd of certain false Reafonings, to fupply the Place of true Reafon, which can only be found in a clear, a juft, and a penetrating Wit. This Character being fo very rare, 'tis no Wonder that the Art of Oratory should appear thus maim'd and imperfect in the Generality of its Profeffors; because the Reasonings upon which they ground it, are either too dry and barren, or elfe too crude and immature, or fometimes merely falfe and fophiftical. And, upon a clofe Examination of Things, it will be evident, that one of the most effential Defaults of modern Eloquence is the Want of a good Talent at Reasoning, of which there are but few that study to be Mafters. Nor is this to be acquired fo much by the philofophical Courfe in the University, as by the Reading of Ariftotle's Rhetorick, and the frequent Converfe with other good Books, which imprints on the Understanding a Solidity and Juftness of Senfe, not otherwife attainable. Good. Senfe, tho' many times purely the Gift of Nature, is yet often fupplied by Books and Study. But then 'tis neceffary that we diftinguish with great Caution in this Matter: Because there are Books, which, instead of rectifying the Judgment, may corrupt and debauch it. Here, then, we ought to take the Advice of more skilful Perfons, when we are not fit to be our own Counsellors; as very few are, especially of the younger Sort, whofe Head is not yet fettled by Experience and the Knowledge of the World. But let this be as it will, we may affirm, that Logick is the Ground-work of Eloquence; because 'tis that which first ranges in the Mind the perfect Analyfis and Difpofition of Things; which feparates the Effentials of

any

any Subject from its Accidents; and which teaches the Method of rightly circumftantiating any Difcourfe. This is a Secret, which nothing but the Rules of Logick can indeed let us into. A Man is, in effect, an Orator, when he commences a Logician; because he then knows the full Extent and Series of Things, by a thorough View of the Circumftances with which they are cloathed. But tho' the want of Logick be one of the most common Defaults of our publick Speakers, yet we must acknowledge that 'tis one of the fafest: Because none but Men of Parts and Judg ment, who never make a Majority in the World, are capable of difcovering it. Not but that the Multitude may well enough apprehend the natural Method of a Difcourfe, and may feel the Logick which they never learnt. But then their Sagacity does not reach fo far, as to difcern a Flaw in Reafoning, or a Fai lure in the Ordinance of a Defign. In which Regard, we may fuppofe three Classes, or Orders of judges; the first confifting of those who take up with bare Words, and are content to fpend their whole Verdict on the Beauties, or Defects of Style: The fecond, of thofe who proceed to judge of the Thought and Invention; the third, of those who still go farther, and pass a Judgment, as well on the general Defign, as on the Proportion, Symmetry, and Dependence of its Parts; which is the fole Privilege of the Learned and Intelligent. He must be very sharp fighted that can spy out a logical Defect in an Oration. And, befides, there are fome Orators, who, by furprizing their Audience with a certain Charm of Words and Thoughts, divert them from going to the Bottom of Things, or nicely canvaffing what C 4 they

they affert: As there are others, who prevent the like critical Examination, by the agreeable manner of their Gesture and Delivery. Yet, after all, there is a kind of minute and captious Logick, which Quintilian will not foffer in the Art of Eloquence; as ferving only to enfeeble and emaciate, to exhauft the Life, and dry up the Blood of a Difcourfe.

XII.

Those who apply themfelves to the Study of Eloquence, are wont too frequently to mifcarry in it, by the falfe Meafures which they' take, either in refpect of themselves, their Subject, or their Audience: And this Fault feems to be no lefs common, than that which we but now confidered. An Orator of high and elevated Parts, fometimes lofes himself by the too great Complacency which he takes in following his own Genius, without accommodating it to the Proportion of his Matter, and the Capacity of his Hearers. It is much easier for a Man thus to give the Reins to Fancy, and to be hurried away by the Impetuofity of his Genius, than it is to recollect and govern himself according to the prefent Circumftances and Occafions of Speaking: Because the one is purely the Effect of Imagination, whereas the other proceeds from ftrict Judgment, a Privilege much more rarely enjoy'd. No Wonder, therefore, if fuch as fpeak in Publick are fo very liable to this Diforder: Whence arife thofe abfurd Indecencies, and offenfive Incongruities, fo often to be found in their Harangues; as, the reprefenting things beyond their natural Dimensions, and